The invention relates to an automatic toilet seat lowering device. More particularly, the invention relates to a system for lowering a toilet seat within a short period of time after the seat has been manually raised.
Conventional toilets are fitted with a hinged seat. The seat remains in the lowered position most of the time, but is raised by males when urinating. However, inevitably many males forget to lower the seat after using the toilet. Often then, a confrontation occurs between that male and the next female who seeks to use the toilet.
Because this situation is so pervasive, many have proposed solutions. These solutions include numerous electronic devices which try to alert the male user, and "remind" him to lower to seat. However, others have proposed devices which seek to directly deal with the problem by actually lowering the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,518 to Phillips discloses an automatic lowering device which proposes a variety of schemes for lowering the toilet seat after a predetermined period of time. One such scheme involves a pair of reservoirs which hold a quantity of fluid. Timed fluid flow between the reservoir, in theory, causes the toilet seat to lower after a period of time.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,842,779 to Zulkosi discloses an operator for a toilet seat which uses a foot pedal to pneumatically lift and lower the toilet seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,853,983 to Grant discloses a mechanized toilet seat which attaches at the seat hinge, and employs two inflatable rubber bags to either raise or lower the seat, under the control of a foot pedal.
While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose employed, or for general use, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as disclosed hereafter.